The notice in Sharm el-Sheikh urges tourists to "continue their holidays as normal", but tensions from the Egyptian uprising are beginning to seep down to the Red Sea resort.

On the surface, visitors to the Sinai resort, which is still recovering from recent shark attacks, appear more worried about swimming restrictions than revolution.

Pleasure boats were still taking daytrippers out to the Red Sea's coral reefs and speedboats zipped up and down the coast, but some holidaymakers were anxious.

Kjell Irgum, a Norwegian recently arrived in Sharm with friends, has yet to venture out of his hotel.

"We're pretty worried," he said. "We see things on the TV. We are far from Cairo, but we are staying in our hotel for now."

Others had been unable to reassure their families because of intermittent mobile phone coverage – and the absence of the internet, blocked since Thursday.

"My brother's been trying to send me text messages asking if we're OK," said Hannah Davison from Much Wenlock, Shropshire. "We're conscious of what's happening – we've been watching the news – but it does feel as if we're in a bubble here."

Pat and John Foote, a couple from Swindon newly arrived in Sharm, were a little surprised to have made it into the bubble at all.

"I thought the plane might have been turned around," said Mrs Foote. "I heard that France has stopped all its citizens from travelling here. And I worried about us going. It's been all over the news at home and my family was saying, 'Are you sure you should be going there?' But now we're here, it seems pretty relaxed."

Life in Sharm is not quite following its usual rhythms. Excursions to Cairo have been stopped – to the disappointment of some guests – and the bars and cafes are quieter than normal.

There were reports that a group of Bedouins, nomads who live in the Sinai desert, had attacked Sharm's old market. Workers in a cafe near the market said a group of Bedouin men had turned up to try to loot stalls, but were chased away by locals brandishing sticks.

Stuart McLaughlin and Vicki Rose, from Nottingham, said they had ventured out into Na'ama Bay, the centre of Sharm's tourist industry, to find cafes being hastily closed up.

"The guides said there had been some trouble with Bedouins in the old market and that they were on their way to Na'ama Bay," said McLaughlin. "We ignored them and everything was fine. But it is pretty quiet out and about. I think a lot of people are staying in their hotels."

In the cafes, bars and restaurants, where the TVs are tuned constantly to the news channels, holidaymakers are picking up on the fears of the staff. Egyptians come from all over the country to work in Sharm; many of them from Cairo and Alexandria. Now that the road to Cairo has been closed and all public transport stopped, the workers have no way of travelling home to be with their families.

The Foreign Office has not changed its advice for Britons travelling to Sharm el-Sheikh, and companies such as Thomas Cook are at pains to reassure customers that there is no threat of trouble.

The sentiments are echoed by those working in Egypt's valuable tourist sector. "Please tell people at home that it is safe here," one tour rep told departing guests.

He need not worry for Lee and Keith Marsh, from Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, who have another week in Egypt.

"The holiday must go on," said Lee. "I know my daughter at home has been pretty worried about us, but we're not concerned. It hasn't affected our holiday at all. I just hope it doesn't damage tourism here too much."